Gotham
by meth0s
Summary: Lois and Clark are on a stakeout together in Metropolis...the result of which leaves them exploring their feelings for one another, as well as becoming involved in a larger conspiracy that stretches all the way to Gotham City!
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone-

This is my first stab at fanfiction, so please R&R! Some of you may have read this elsewhere, but i wanted to publish it here as well! If enough people enjoy it, there is plenty more to come!

**CHAPTER 1**

"Lois, this is ridiculous…" Clark sighed, barely containing his exasperation. They had been camped outside of some downtown metropolis high-rise for almost 2 hours now, waiting in her car.

Lois shot a quick glare over to her partner-"I'll tell you what I told you 10 minutes ago, and 10 minutes before that! If you want to go home, fine, but I'm not losing out on the biggest political scandal of the year because you can't sit still for more than a microsecond!"

Clark sighed again to himself- it's not that he didn't mind waiting here for their story, but his super hearing and x-ray vision had already confirmed that mayor Kinnessey and his mistress were together in her apartment. He also certainly didn't mind being there with Lois- after the whole zombie virus scare a few weeks ago he found himself spending more and more time with her….and daydreaming more than once about that that moment in the rain when he knew that she was ok…

"Clark! Did you hear a word I just said?!" Lois yelled.

Clark broke out of his slight daydream long enough to realize that Lois was staring directly at him, with one of her patented "bull-in-a-china-shop" looks.

"I'm sorry- I must be getting a little drowsy…" Clark feigned, throwing in a small yawn for emphasis.

"Ugh!" Lois said, wondering to herself if Clark was taking this assignment seriously at all. "Tell you what- why don't you head back down to that coffee stand a few blocks back and get us both a little pick-me-up? It can even be your treat, since I'm obviously doing all the heavy lifting on this one."

Clark was ready to retort with a comment about her caffeine addiction, but one look at the smirk on Lois's face caused him to outwardly chuckle. "Straight black, no sugar?" he offered, still smiling.

"Of course," Lois said, the smirk on her face ever widening. _It's impossible to stay mad at him now_, she thought to herself.

Despite his absent-mindedness and penchant for disappearing, there was no one she would rather have with her on a stakeout like this. In fact, she was beginning to think that maybe there was no one she would rather spend any of her time with…..not that she could tell him that, of course- not with the way things between them seemed to go every time they found themselves in anything resembling a romantic situation.

"Thanks Clark…" Lois offered as Clark opened the door. "Anytime…" he said, his eyes meeting hers. After what seemed like an eternity, he turned his gaze away from her and started off down the street toward the coffee stand.

* * *

"Can I get two large coffees, one black and the other with room for cream?" Clark asked, still thinking about his partner. His thoughts were cut short by the sound of muffled gunfire coming from the building across the street. Silently cursing to himself for being so preoccupied, Clark used his x-ray vision to scan the entrance.

Clark was instantly taken aback by what he saw- 3 perfectly still bodies on the ground, and 1 person emerging from what appeared to be the LexBank vault on the ground floor.

Checking to make sure no one was looking, Clark began to speed toward the entrance of the building. In less than a second he had his hand on the door- just in time to be hurtled backward by a huge explosion from the front of the building.

* * *

5 minutes earlier….

Lois couldn't resist glancing up at the rear view mirror to watch her partner walk down the street. _He sure knows how to fill out a pair of dress slacks, and the way that baby blue shirt brings out his eyes…Get a hold of yourself Lane!_

Lois scolded herself for letting her mind wander. _This is Smallville we're talking about- leave you at the drop of a hat, come up with lame excuses, back away at the first sign of any connection Smallville!_

Lois threw her hands down on the steering wheel and sighed. Of all the men she had ever known, Clark seemed to affect her the most. Sometimes the way he looked at her made her feel like she was the only woman in the world... and other times? Let's just say the checkout guy at the store behind her apartment knew NOT to ask if she really needed those 3 gallons of rocky road.

_Why do things have to be so difficult with him? It seems like every time we get close to telling each other how we really feel one of us pulls back. You can't go on like this Lois- you've got to get all the cards on the table. You have to talk to him…  
_  
Her thoughts were cut short as she spied someone exiting the entrance of the building. Grabbing her camera out from under the seat, she began to train it on the door when…

BOOM

It took Lois a second to process what was happening. She jumped out of the car almost instantly, looking back toward the blast source. A huge plume of smoke was rising into the sky, and people were beginning to panic.

Lois suddenly realized she couldn't see the coffee stand anymore through all of the smoke and debris. A million thoughts raced through her mind, but she could only manage to scream one of them into the night air.

"**CLARK!**"

**END CHAPTER 1**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Clark stood up, trying to get his bearings after the blast. He looked around quickly- no immediate casualties, other than those poor men inside the bank. It was then that Clark noticed that he could no longer see the individual who had been inside the vault.

Speeding away down a side alley, he arrived at the next street over, just in time to see a figure start to drive off in a late-model sedan. Clark instantly sped up to the side of the car, simultaneously pulling out the driver and stopping the vehicle in it's tracks. Tossing the driver out of the car, he quickly subdued the now unconscious bank-robber using a nearby chain-link fence. Beginning to speed away, Clark suddenly felt sick to his stomach- and was unable to maintain his super speed.

**"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"**

A hollow, screeching laugh pierced the night sky as Clark turned around. Trying not to drop to his knees in pain, he was greeted by….some type of deranged clown? Clark nearly froze out of confusion- who was this nutcase?

"You must be the one they call the blur! How exquisite! The clown sneered, moving ever closer. Clark nearly collapsed, still baffled at what was taking place. Suddenly the clown's voice became low and serious.

"What's the matter?! Scared of a little old clown?" he cackled, dropping something to the side. Clark looked down quickly- just in time to see the now exposed Kryptonite that filled the bag the clown had dropped. Immediately feeling the rush of pain and nausea, he dropped to his knees as the madman continued to approached him.

"You know what?" the clown whispered softly. "They say never to kick a man when he's down...and I have a better idea!."

Clark recoiled in pain as his assailant drew a gun out of his jacket and pointed it directly at him.

"You see, I love games, Mr. Blur....especially roulette. And since you've been such a sport and collapsed for me, how about I return the favor- want to try some of the Russian kind?"

Clark watched in agony as the clown pulled the trigger.

**CLICK**

"HEEHEE! Looks like you won this round! Let's play again!" the clown snarled, pulling the trigger for a second time.

**CLICK**

"Aww- you're not going to let me win, are you Mr. Blur?!" the clown howled. "I guess we'll just have to end this game quickly!" he yelled, loading the rest of the chambers.

Clark was desperately trying to maintain focus through the agonizing pain. Mustering every bit of strength he could, he managed to focus his heat vision just enough to burn the gun.

"AHHHHHH- HOT POTATO!" The clown screamed, dropping the gun immediately. Clark was starting to lose consciousness, barely able to make out the sound of rapidly approaching sirens.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but it looks like I have to be off before the cavalry comes! Toodles! Let's do this again soon!"

With that the clown jumped into the still waiting car and sped away. Clark tried to get up, only to fall back to the ground doubled over in pain. As he faded into unconsciousness, he could only watch as the lunatic responsible for all this slowly disappeared from view……

* * *

"Miss, I'm going to tell you for the last time- PLEASE GET BEHIND THE PERIMETER!" The officer said impatiently.

Lois, ignoring his plea, attempted to walk straight back into the now sectioned-off crime scene...only to be blocked again. She glared up at the cross-armed patrolmen in front of her.

"Look- I tried to explain it to you before! My name is Lois Lane, and I'm a reporter with the Daily Planet! And more importantly, my partner was right there when the blast went off!" Lois yelled, her frustration increasing by the second.

"I'm sorry," The cop said plainly. "We're still assessing the situation and trying to determine the extent of the damage and the cause of the blast."

"I'm just trying to make sure he's ok..." Lois offered, her eyes starting to tear up. She would never forgive herself if anything happened to Clark- especially if he were seriously hurt...

The police officer straightened his gaze and spoke quietly. "I know you're upset miss Lane, but we're doing all we can. It looks like we have some casualties here, so I want you to go over there and see Sergeant McDade…"

The officer's words trailed off into nothing. Lois had stopped listening as soon she heard the word "casualties". Everything seemed to be collapsing around her. What if Clark was dead? What if he was gone from her life forever? How could she get up each day knowing he wouldn't be there...across from her in the bullpen...at the farm on a lazy weekend? What about all the things she wanted to say to him…..

Her shock was broken by a yell from one of the nearby EMT's

"Looks like we got an injury here! Get me some oxygen!"

"I told you, I'm fine- I just need to find my partner!" a familiar voice called out.

Lois turned to her right, her heart skipping a beat. There was Clark, being braced by an EMT, walking over to a nearby ambulance.

"CLARK!" she yelled, sprinting over to him. "I…are you ok?! Are you hurt?! I…I just…" Her words trailed off as she collapsed into him. "I saw the explosion…and I thought…"

"Shhhh- it's ok," Clark replied, gently wrapping his arms around her. "I'm fine- I was just worried about you."

_Typical Smallville_, Lois couldn't help but think to herself. _He's covered in dust and debris, his clothes are torn, and he's worried about me. _

"What happened Clark? One second you're walking down the street, and the next second it's like we're in the middle of Kabul!" she said, slightly loosening her embrace.

"Well, right after the explosion I noticed someone running into a side alley. I followed him, but he got the jump on me. I'm a little fuzzy after that- all I really know is that I was really lucky that the Blur showed up and took care of him. From what the cops are saying it still looks like someone managed to get away though."

Lois made a silent note to herself to thank the Blur the next time they spoke for saving Clark. Of all the things he had done to help her, this was certainly the biggest so far.

"Do they know who it was? Intergang?" Lois asked, her eyes still fixed on Clark's.

"I don't know," Clark replied honestly. "But I have heard some of the officers say this looks like one of those big operations that have happened in Gotham city for the last few weeks."

"Gotham city?!" Lois asked. "Wait- you mean the Joker killer attacks that have been in the news there?"

"Joker killer?" Clark asked.

"You really have to spend some more time on the internet, Smallville," Lois sighed. "He's been the top story in Gotham Gazette the last few months- really brutal stuff. People even say that he'll take out a member of his own crew for no reason- just because he thinks its funny…"

Clark's face darkened as he gritted his teeth. _The Joker, huh?_ he though to himself. _I guess that explains a lot about that maniac._ His thoughts were soon interrupted by the paramedic standing a few feet from him.

"Sir- we need to get you to a hospital for supervision." The EMT said flatly.

"No- I'm fine." Clark said, noting the look of concern on Lois's face. "I was just stunned by that guy the blur tied up."

"Fine- You wanna refuse treatment and deal with a possible concussion yourself, that's fine by me." The EMT said, throwing his hands up. "Try not to pass out and die from a hematoma tonight!"

Lois placed her hand gently on Clark's arm. "Maybe we should take you over to Metropolis general for just a sec- just to make sure that everything's all right."

Clark saw the concern in her eyes- it took his breath away and left a lump in the pit of his stomach. He was just starting to realize how lucky he was that the cops and paramedics showed up when they did...with the amount of Kryptonite the Joker had in that bag, things could have gone much worse.

"It's really okay Lois. I think I just need to get back home and rest." Clark said, still reeling from the Kryptonite exposure.

"The hell you will!" Lois yelled. "I'm taking you straight to the hospital!" She narrowed her eyes and glared to let Clark know how serious she really was.

Clark was touched by her concern, but knew he couldn't risk a hospital examination. "Lois- really, I'm fine. Scout's honor."

Maybe it was the megawatt smile he was flashing, but her resolve finally melted.

"Ok Clark- I believe you. But there's no way I'm letting you stay alone tonight, or letting you drive all the way back to the farm. You'll have to stay at my place or a hospital bed- your choice."

Clark began to stammer. "Uh…Lois…I…is that a good idea?"

"Clark Kent- are you nervous?" Lois asked, flashing a wide grin. "It'll be fine- the couch is big enough, and I have plenty of ice- besides- it's not like we haven't been under the same roof before. Tomorrow is Saturday anyway- It's not like either of us have to be in the office."

"I guess you're right," Clark said. "I suppose I could just head back to the farm tomorrow…"

"Easy there, Smallville," Lois chided. "Let's see if you can make it through the night without crashing into anything or passing out first."

**END CHAPTER 2**


	3. Chapter 3

To those of you that have left me kind words or a review- thank you!

**CHAPTER 3**

Getting access to the bank vault had been easy. Cops everywhere were the same- for a few pieces of silver they would always look the other way. The Geiger counter didn't lie either- there had definitely been meteor rock here, and from the readings, a lot of it.

"Alfred- I need a favor", the masked figure growled over the secure comm.

"With all due respect master Bruce," the Englishman replied, "I don't think the Wayne Enterprises board will appreciate you delaying the meeting yet again."

"Not that Alfred- I'll be back in Gotham by Monday. I need you to run an analysis on the movement of all the extraterrestrial rock that's come through Gotham in the last six months." His countenance darkened- "The Joker has come into quite a bit of it lately, and I need to know what his next move is."

"Certainly master Bruce", the butler responded. "Shall there be anything else?"

"Yes Alfred- did you re-run the impact models on the modifications I made?" Bruce asked, knowing he couldn't afford to take any chances with what was to come next.

"Of course, master Bruce. It appears as though your calculations are spot on- provided the estimates of strength and speed are correct", Alfred replied. "I must insist that you be careful though- it would be rather unbecoming to have anything happen to you under these circumstances."

"Of course Alfred", Bruce replied seriously. He was well aware that there was great risk in what he had to do next- but not having all the information on the Joker's activities here was far more dangerous.

* * *

"KNEEL!"

No sooner had the command come than Lois was knocked to the ground.

"You will kneel before your new master!" The soldier barked again.

"The hell I will!" Lois snarled, beginning to rise.

Suddenly she was struck from behind, knocking her several feet from where she had been. Despite the immediate and almost unbearable pain, Lois struggled to get up again. She suddenly realized that there was someone standing over her.

"That was unwise." A cold voice said. "You will tell me how you arrived here, and where the son of Jor-El is!"

"Look" Lois coughed. "I don't know who or what a Jor-El is but…." Her words faded into a scream as she felt a searing pain in her leg. Recoiling from the immediate pain, she fought to force back tears.

"I WILL NOT ASK YOU AGAIN!" The figure commanded. "YOU WILL TELL ME ABOUT THE RESISTANCE OR I WILL END YOUR MISERABLE EXISTENCE ON THIS PATHETIC PLANET!"

Writhing in agony, Lois did the only thing she could to fight back- she spat at the feet of her assailant.

"I see I will get nothing from you, human", he said. "I hope in your final moments you fully understand the punishment for failing to obey!"

Lois suddenly felt a searing pain hit her chest- her scream piercing the dust-filled sky.

* * *

"Lois! LOIS!" Clark yelled, desperate to wake her. He had heard her screams and immediately rushed into her bedroom, without so much as a second thought.

"NO!" Lois screamed again, snapping upright. "I….wait….Clark? Oh God- Clark!"

Clark instinctively sat next to her on the bed, gently taking her trembling hands.

"Lois…I heard you screaming", Clark said, trying desperately to hide the panic from his own voice. "Was it another vision?"

"I…..I don't know", she stammered, sinking into his arms. "I was being tortured….it all felt so real…" her voice trailed off as Clark pulled her into his embrace.

"It's ok Lois- you're safe. You're in your apartment- I'm here…..It's ok." Clark gently rocked her back and forth, beginning to feel her heartbeat slow from its mile-a-minute pace.

Lois closed her eyes, hating herself for acting like this- this was NOT the side of herself that she let anyone see...especially Clark Kent. Still, she couldn't seem to shake the paralyzing fear and terrible pain she had experienced in her dream- it had all seemed so real. She slowly looked up at Clark, noting the concern that seemed to highlight his normally calm features.

"I'm being such a baby right now", she said, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "You must think I'm pathetic."

Clark nearly gasped, shocked by her admission. "Never, Lois- you're the strongest person I know. With everything that's been happening…Jimmy….Chloe pulling away…these nightmares…You amaze me. I wish I could have handled everything as well as you have…"

Lois softly put her hand on his chest. She knew how strained things were between Clark and Chloe these days- they talked half as much as they used to, and when she saw them interact with one another it was…different than it used to be, and not in a good way.

She couldn't understand the pain he felt over Jimmy though- it was like he blamed himself for Jimmy's death. She could see the hurt in his eyes every time they came across a picture he had taken in the archives- and she knew he still couldn't go near the area that Jimmy used to stage his layouts.

"Clark….stay tonight." She asked, pleading for her resolve not to break.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Clark asked. "I'm already staying here tonight."

"No Clark. Stay. Here. With me. Tonight." She said, her heart and mind fighting over every word.

Clark gulped- his mind was racing. How was it that he could take it upon himself to protect and entire city, and yet be so powerless against her voice...her touch. Shaking off his fear, he managed the only thing his heart would allow him to.

"Of course, Lo. I'm not going anywhere."

They didn't say another word. Lois folded gently into Clark's arms as they both came to rest, their hearts beating in unison. Lois draped her arm gently across his chest, drifting into sleep with a peace she couldn't remember.

Clark exhaled heavily, trying to focus on sleep and not the way her body felt against him. Wishing he could trade all of his abilities for something that would take her tears away, he closed his eyes and focused on the only thing that mattered- her heartbeat.

**END CHAPTER 3**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

**_  
**

Lois yawned slowly, fighting the urge to open her eyes. Still, she couldn't help but crack a smile- that was the best sleep she had had in months.

It was then that the rush of what had happened last night caught up to her. Her nightmare….Clark…..her hand on his chest….his arms around her…….she quickly forced open her eyes only to see him sleeping peacefully, his arms still wrapped around her.

Silently cursing to herself for letting her emotions get the best of her, Lois began to wiggle out of his embrace. _How could I have been so stupid? _she though, scolding wasn't fair to Clark, and it certainly wasn't fair to her. She knew that Clark cared for her deeply, but he had left her alone with her heart on her sleeve more than enough times...doing something like this was just going to put their friendship at risk- something she wasn't willing to lose under any circumstances.

"Ugh", she sighed, gently trying to remind herself that this would be for the best.

"Lois?" Clark asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Did you sleep ok?"

It took all Lois had not to look into his baby blues and charming smile...and not melt.

"Yeah…fine Clark", she said, forcing a smile of her own.

"I was thinking I could run out and get us some breakfast- maybe even some coffee from that shop over on 3rd you like so much", Clark said, his voice hopeful. Noting the clearly conflicted look she was giving him, he quickly added "As a thank you for making sure I didn't die last night."

"Uh…that's ok", Lois said hurriedly, trying to simultaneously maintain some level of emotional control and grab whatever additional clothing she could find on her way to the bathroom. "I completely forgot that I have to run by the Planet to pick up some more information on my piece about the Mayor."

Clark's hopefulness instantly turned to disappointment. "Oh- I thought you didn't have to go into the office today..." he said quietly.

Lois immediately recognized his dour tone. "It's ok Clark, really. Plus this way I can give you a ride back to your truck", she said, kicking herself mentally for the puppy dog look on his face. "I think you'll be ok to drive back today- right?"

"Yeah…sure." Clark said, wondering how the morning had gone from the best of his life to this in just a few minutes. "I'll grab my things."

Lois sighed as she left the room. She was going to need a VERY cold shower and a VERY large cup of coffee this morning.

* * *

Their ride back to the Planet was marked only by the low hum of morning noise in downtown Metropolis and the din of a radio talk show Lois had insisted on tuning in to.

_Why doesn't he say something…ANYTHING?! Lois thought to herself. Clark hadn't given even the slightest nod in her direction since they had left her apartment. This only reinforces that what you did this morning was the right decision, Lane. If he can just sit there and say nothing after a night like that…._

_Why won't she say something to me? Clark wondered, keeping his gaze fixed ahead. Last night had been….well, he almost couldn't put it into words. It's like he felt at ease for the first time since….before Jimmy died. Lying there next to Lois he forgot about being the Blur, Jimmy's death, the Joker- everything. He was just happy to be there- in that moment. He thought Lois was happy too, but it was becoming more obvious by the second that she had just really needed a shoulder to cry on- a large, friendly, platonic shoulder._

Lois finally broke the silence as they pulled into the parking garage. "Looks like this is your stop, Clark", she said, slowing the car. "I guess I'll see you on Monday".

"Sure thing, Lois", he said opening the door as fast as he could without super speed.

Clark made sure not to look back as she drove further into the structure. His only thought was to get into his truck as quickly as he could and get home. He was just about to hop in when he noticed a blank envelope sitting on the driver's seat. Inside was a piece of paper with a single line on it.

Top floor of the WayneCorp building. 8PM. Don't be late- and come alone.

Clark stared down at the piece of paper in his hands. What was going on here?

* * *

"I just don't think you should so willingly walk into an obvious trap, Clark!" Chloe yelled, furious with his stubbornness. "You have no idea who left that note or why!" She was hesitant about taking his call, and now she wished she had simply let it go to voice-mail.

"I know that Chloe!" He yelled back, equally frustrated. "Besides- this person just wants Clark Kent- I think I'll manage."

"Clark- Wayne Enterprises has such an advanced security system even I can't access it", she said flatly. "If something happens to you in there I won't be able to do anything."

"Don't worry about me Chloe- I said I would be fine, and I will be. Just make sure we have a feed on who goes in and out of the building- I want to know who this person is."

The serious tone Clark used of late was really starting to bother Chloe. She was not Kal-El's lap dog- in fact, between her work for Oliver and everything else she had been dealing with, taking orders from Clark was the last thing she would consider.

"I already told you not to go, Clark" she said, her irritation now obvious. "If you want to figure out who's requesting your presence, figure it out on your own."

"Fine." Clark shot back into the phone. "Give Oliver my regards."

Chloe sighed heavily as she hung up. Clark was going to have to realize that she wasn't always at his beck and call- she had responsibilities of her own as well.

* * *

Clark surveyed the front of the WayneCorp building. He had tried to scan it with his X-Ray vision, but the exterior seemed to be reinforced with some type of lead-based chemical compound. As he walked toward the front of the building, he suddenly realized he had no idea how he was going to get to the top floor without setting off an alarm.

"Welcome, Mr. Kent." A robotic voice announced from above. "Please proceed to elevator number 6."

Suddenly the doors opened. Clark entered and got into the elevator, deeply unsure of what he was getting himself into.

* * *

"Thanks for letting me blow off some steam Chloe", Lois said, smiling at her cousin.

"Not a problem Lois- thanks for getting pizza!" her cousin smiled, happy to have the interruption. "To what do I owe this particular visit?"

"It's…..I don't know how to say this…..Clark and I slept together last night." Lois said as quickly as she could.

" You…you….WHAT?!" Chloe yelled, mouth agape.

* * *

Clark exited the elevator slowly. He quickly scanned the room- there was a caped figure some distance in front of him. Clark felt a chill run down his spine...he almost felt as if he had seen this man somewhere before…

"Nice of you to come, Mr. Kent. Thanks for being on time." The figure said.

Clark's memory stirred- "You- you're that Bat-Man I've read about in the Gotham papers!" Clark yelled, moving forward. "What's with the game? What do you want from me?!"

"Easy there Kent- don't get yourself too excited. All I want is information- about the Joker" Batman said unflinchingly.

"And what makes you think I'm going to tell you anything?!" Clark shot back.

What he said next sent another chill down Clark's spine. "Because I know exactly who you are, Clark Kent, son of Jonathan and Martha Kent. Reporter at the Daily Planet- and most importantly, the so-called "Blur" of Metropolis."

"How…you can't prove…." Clark said, paralyzed with fear.

"Remember this", Batman said coldly. "I'm the world's greatest detective, and you're just a country boy who's way out of his league. Now tell me exactly what happened with you and the Joker, unless you want your secret identity to be your paper's next headline."

* * *

"No- Chloe! It wasn't like that!" Lois yelled, realizing her words had come out entirely wrong.

"Well did you sleep with him or not?!" Chloe yelled back.

"We….we just slept- ok?" Lois said, visibly shaken. "We were on a stakeout and ended up in the middle of the Joker killer's robbery. Clark was hurt…we went back to my place….." Lois continued, revealing the details of the night before to her still shocked cousin.

"Wait- Clark was hurt?" Chloe asked, suddenly worried about Clark's call earlier.

"Yeah- but he seemed fine by the morning", Lois said, noting the look of concern on Chloe's face.

"And you slept together? That's all?" Chloe asked, suddenly smirking.

* * *

Clark's mind raced- how did the Batman know about his secret? How long had he known?! Would he really follow through on a threat like that?

Clark steeled himself- this person was just a man, and he was the last son of Krypton. He scanned him with his x-ray vision…only to find nothing.

"Trying to use your x-ray vision on me?" Batman sneered, drawing even closer. "Lead based compound in the suit- you really are as dumb as I think you are!"

"We'll see about that", Clark yelled, speeding up to him…only to recoil in pain as soon as he laid a hand on him.

"Oh- forgot to mention that this suit was specifically designed with you in mind" he said, grinning. "Now tell me what I need to know about the Joker- I won't ask you again."

"You're no better than a common thug" Clark gasped, trying to regain his composure.

"No- I'm much worse." Batman said flatly. The next thing Clark felt was a punch connecting with the side of his face. Crashing to the ground, he looked up at the man standing over him as he felt blood begin to drip out of his mouth.

"Start talking." Batman said, his face expressionless. "Or your split lip will be the least of your worries."

* * *

Chloe couldn't completely process what she had heard- Lois and Clark, together in bed? Even though it was obvious that Lois was pretty shaken up about this, she still was putting up a pretty good front. Perhaps she could goad Lois into telling her something more…

"So- from the sound of things there wasn't much complaining on your part!" Chloe said.

Lois fumed. She hadn't come here to be made fun of- she desperately wanted Chloe's reassurance that she had done the right thing by blowing Clark off this morning. After all, if anyone could understand how things with Clark would never work out, it had to be Chloe.

"Look- I don't know how many times I have to tell you- it was a huge mistake to have Clark over at my place last night, and it was an even bigger mistake to sleep with him!", She yelled.

It was then that Lois noticed that Chloe had turned completely pale. Turning around in horror, she froze as she realized who was standing in the doorway.

"Oh my God- Clark- you're hurt!" Lois said, immediately noticing the swelling on his face and the huge gash in his lip.

"I….came here to talk to Chloe, but now is obviously a bad time." He said, fighting back the pain of what he had just heard. "I'll come back later." He spun around as fast as he could, practically sprinting out the door.

"Clark- please wait!", Lois yelled, going after him. She pulled open the door to reveal….nothing- he was already gone.

"What have I done?" she said to herself, tears beginning to stream down her face.

**END CHAPTER 4**


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's note:_ Thank you SO much to those of you that have posted reviews and added this story to your list- it certainly makes preparing the updates much easier!

**CHAPTER 5**

Clark sank back into the alley wall- the physical pain that tore at him was almost nothing...when compared to the ache in his heart.

"_Look- I don't know how many times I have to tell you- it was a huge mistake to have Clark over at my place last night, and it was an even bigger mistake to sleep with him!"_

The words still stung.

_I guess that explains her rush to get rid of me this morning_, he thought to himself. How could he have been so stupid? He should have never put himself in that situation with her- it was clear that Lois had just needed him as a "friend"- nothing more.

Pushing those thoughts from his mind temporarily, Clark tried to focus on the problem at hand. How did the Batman know about his secret identity...and how had he managed to hurt him and why hadn't he healed yet? Did he have abilities as well? He had to speak with Chloe- she might be the only one who had access to the information he needed.

* * *

Lois collapsed onto the sofa in her apartment, quickly burying her face in a nearby throw pillow. She allowed herself to pause momentarily, taking in a strong, calming scent...only to throw the pillow to the floor seconds later, realizing the calming scent was Clark's...from the night before.

_What is your problem Lane?! _She nearly yelled to herself. She was so sure that she had done the right thing- Clark was her best friend….her partner…..her confidant- there was no way she could risk losing that. Still...the romantic spark that had always seemed to hang between them had become a high-voltage wire lately...something that completely terrified her.

Things had been so different with Oliver. There were certainly sparks there...but on some level she knew that they were always better off as close friends, despite the physical attraction. They'd never had that deep emotional connection...in truth, probably because they were too similar. _You were never friends first.._ she thought, sighing heavily.

With Clark it was completely different. She counted on him being there for her- he was her rock. Clark knew her...warts and all. She didn't need to pretend around him, or watch what she said, or ever wory that he wouldn't tell her what she needed to hear. Clark was her friend...her best friend, really- and what worried her most was the possibility of losing that...losing him.

If things with Clark became something more...and it didn't work out, it would ruin that bond...and destroy her heart in the process. Lois knew she couldn't walk away from something like that- and she was fairly certain that Clark couldn't either.

Still, every time she closed her eyes she saw the horrible look on Clark's face back at Chloe's apartment. She had only ever seen it once before- when she found him watching that DVD Lana had left for him. Clark almost never broke down like that- and knowing that she'd put him in that kind of pain broke her heart.

She picked up her phone and dialed his number yet again- in spite of everything that had happened, she had to know if he was ok. _What could he possibly have been doing that would get him into a situation like that?_ she wondered as the phone continued to ring. Clark's voicemail picked up once again, causing Lois to slam down the phone in frustration. She fell back further into the couch, grabbing the very blanket he had used the night before. As Lois closed her eyes, she tried to make herself think about something- anything else.

* * *

"Clark!" Chloe yelled, seeing him stagger into the apartment once more. "What happened to you?! Are you ok?!"

"I'm fine Chloe", he said, the lie obvious to both of them. "I had a run in with the Batman- the one who's been all the news in Gotham city."

"Batman?!" Chloe asked, genuinely confused- "I've never heard of him appearing anywhere outside of Gotham. What did he want with you? Did he do this to you?"

Clark saw the look of concern on his friend's face and sighed heavily. "That's not the half of it Chloe- he knows who I am."

"Well, of course he does Clark- he left a note for you, remember?" Chloe said, still confused.

"No Chloe", Clark said, his voice becoming darkly serious. "He knows that I'm the Blur."

Chloe's look of confusion suddenly became one of horror. "What- how? How could he possibly know that Clark?!"

"I just don't know Chloe- he said something about being the world's greatest detective."

"What did he want Clark?" Chloe asked Chloe asked, looking up at her friend.

"He wanted to know about the Joker's attack on that bank last night." Clark said flatly. "I told him I didn't really know anything- just that the Joker had stolen something from the bank vault and stunned me before taking off."

"But how was he able to hurt you, Clark- and why are you still injured?"

"I don't know Chloe- that's what I'm hoping you can help me with." Clark said.

"Of course Clark- anything. Let me call Dr. Hamilton and we'll get you checked out." Chloe quickly put on her earpiece and punched in the Dr.'s number.

Clark tried to force a smile through his pain- he was lucky to have a friend like Chloe, especially after everything she had suffered through because of him. He only hoped that after all of their recent fighting this might be the first step the both seemed to need to start rebuilding their friendship.

"Thank you Dr. Hamilton- I'll see you in just a few minutes" Chloe said, hanging up. Guaging him carefully, she spoke softly. "You know Clark...Lois was pretty upset when she came over here and..."

"That was abundantly clear" Clark said flatly, cutting her off.

"Clark" Chloe said, shooting him an annoyed look. "You didn't let me finish. I think she's she's going through a really hard time right now. She told me that she had been having nightmares- nightmares so realistic she wakes up screaming. I don't think she meant what she said about you- I think she's just really scared right now."

"Drop it Chloe…please." Clark said, his eyes pleading with her.

Chloe was taken aback by the amount of pain in his voice. "Okay Clark- Dr. Hamilton should be here soon."

* * *

"It appears as though Clark here has been exposed to near microscopic doses of aerosolized meteor rock." Dr. Hamilton said seriously. "It's an isotope I haven't seen before though- the half life appears to be much faster than that of a typical meteor rock sample, and it appears to break down on its own very quickly.

"So I'll be ok?" Clark asked.

"It appears as though it will be out of your system in a few days." Dr. Hamilton replied. "It certainly explains the swelling and the rest of your injuries though."

"Great." Clark said "Not only does Batman know who I am, but he knows the one thing that can hurt me. Is there some class being taught in Gotham on "How to stop the Blur" that I'm not aware of?"

Chloe desperately wanted to reassure her friend. Despite having gone off the deep end after Jimmy's death and abandoning her, Clark was beginning to act more and more like the man she used to know every day. He certainly had his "Kal-El" moments, as she liked to call them, but she genuinely hoped that they could rebuild the bond they had once shared.

"Clark- try not to worry too much. I think if Batman wanted your secret out he would have done it already- I mean, he's obviously known for some time now."

"That doesn't make me feel any better, Chloe" Clark said, getting up off the examination table. "I still don't know what kind of threat he poses."

"Don't worry about that for now Clark" Chloe said, trying to be reassuring. ""I'll pull whatever information I have on him. We'll figure out what he was doing in Metropolis."

"Thanks Chloe." Clark said, giving her another hard-fought smile.

Dr. Hamilton gave Clark a serious look. "I want you to rest for a day or two, Clark. The meteor rock should dissipate within a few days, but there's not telling what affect it could have on your abilities in the meantime."

"I will- and thank you again, Dr. Hamilton", Clark said. "I think I could use some time to myself right now anyway.

* * *

"I trust you had a good trip to Metropolis?" Alfred said, opening the door to the car.

"Good enough, Alfred." Bruce said, exiting the vehicle. "I'm going to need you to take a look at my hand however- I think I may have broken my right ring finger."

"I must insist you be more careful, Master Bruce" Alfred said, scolding him. "What you did was extremely dangerous."

"I know Alfred, but I needed to get whatever information Kent had, and there wasn't a better way." Bruce hated that he had needed to extract information like that from an innocent, but too many lives hung in the balance- he couldn't afford to be soft now, or ever.

"The more important issue here is that I'm on his radar now- and I won't have the element of surprise on my side next time. I just need to make sure he doesn't interfere while I work out what the Joker's plan really is." Bruce said, bringing up a telemetry overlay of the last 3 areas that the Joker had attacked. "He appears to have gathered enough material to build a bomb capable of destroying an entire city block."

"Very well, Master Bruce," Alfred said, sighing. "Miss Kyle called while you were out- something about the U.N. charity fundraiser next week?"

"Right- I had almost forgotten." Bruce said, still focused on the satellite imagery in front of him. "Please arrange to have the Bentley ready."

"Wonderful, Master Bruce. I'm sure it will be a delightful evening."

Bruce shot a quick glare over to his butler. "Don't get ahead of yourself Alfred. This event is going to allow me to gather more intel on the Falcone's reach."

"Very well, sir." Alfred said, now frowning. "Heaven forbid you try to have fun as well."

* * *

_We're not even really a couple! So this twisted test doesn't mean anything!_

_Next question. Deep down- underneath it all- do you love this man?_

_Answer the question Lois. Don't out-think it. Just tell the truth._

_Do you love him?_

_Tell the truth…._

_Do you LOVE him?_

_Yes._

Lois gasped as she woke from her dream. She was still on the couch- and still clutching the blanket that also smelled suspiciously like a certain Kansas farm-boy. She vividly remembered Clark wincing in pain as he prepared to be shocked again- only to have shock spread across his face when he wasn't.

_You're going crazy_! Lois thought to herself._ This has to stop- You've either got to move to Alaska or find a way to work this out with Clark!_

Lois suddenly realized how true her thoughts were- things with Clark had already started falling apart. He had been ignoring her calls all night, and things between them were just going to get worse unless one of them did something about it.

"Of course it won't be him" Lois said to herself out loud. "Why do I always end up doing the heavy lifting!"

Grabbing her keys and jacket, Lois stormed out the door. She was going to get in her car, and deal with this situation before it spun totally out of control.

* * *

Lois had never driven so fast in her life, despite nearly pulling an eighty mile-an-hour u-turn at least fifty times on the way to Smallville. Finally pulling up to the Kent farm, she stopped the car...only to find herself unable to get out.

_You've had the whole ride over here to think about what you're going to say, and you blank now?! _She thought to herself._ Ugh- it doesn't matter! Get out there!_

Lois stormed up to the door, beginning to yell Clark's name as she knocked loudly.

"Clark!" she yelled, pounding the old wooden frame.

"CLARK!"

"I know you're in there- I'm coming in!" She yelled, barging into the house.

"CLARK!" She exclaimed once more, heading up the stairs at full steam. Reaching the top step, she suddenly steamrolled over a shirtless Clark, who was still rubbing sleep from his eyes. Crashing to the floor, she found herself on top of a very tired...and extremely confused farm boy.

"Lois- it's 2:30 in the morning….what are you doing here?" Clark asked, still trying to get his bearings.

"What am I doing here?!" she yelled, pushing herself off of him. "I've been calling you all night! She fumed, her face beginning to redden.

Clark rose from the floor himself, meeting her gaze with his own. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe…"

"No- Stop. Not another word Clark." Lois said, now desperately trying to ignore the fact that he was half-naked. "I'm going to say what I have to say, and then you can ignore me forever if you want to- but you WILL hear me out, even if I have to tie you down!"

Clark sighed heavily, realizing that there was no way out of this situation. He wanted to super-speed away, jump through the roof, anything- but he was pretty sure in this state Lois could stop him, abilities or no abilities. He looked back at Lois, only to see her gaze soften.

"This is….. hard for me to say, Clark." Lois said, looking at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. "When I saw you today at Chloe's- and saw that you were hurt…" she trailed off, touching the bruise on his cheek."

"I heard you perfectly well Lois." Clark said, turning away from her hand. "I..."

Lois cut him off. "Yeah Clark- you heard me. But did you understand me?"

"I understood you perfectly Lois." Clark said. "I'm sorry I misread things."

"Damnit Clark!" Lois yelled. "I meant what I said to Chloe- but you didn't misread anything!" "It's….I…." tears began to well up in her eyes- she had to get this out, even if it killed her.

Clark's resolve melted instantly. He stepped forward, gently lifting her trembling chin. "It's ok, Lois," he whispered. "You don't owe me anything."

"Clark", Lois said, fighting to regain her composure, "Why do you think I said what I said?"

"You obviously thought we shouldn't have…slept together." Clark said, taking a step back.

"Clark- last night…. I wouldn't change a moment." Lois said, looking into his eyes. "It's just…I can't lose you! What I did was so selfish…I put our friendship at risk!"

"Lois, what happened between us was just as much my decision as yours." Clark replied. "But you have to know that would never happen- you could never lose my friendship."

"But look at us Clark!" Lois pleaded. "We're both wrecks- we can barely even talk to each other!"

"Then maybe we need to stop talking to each other for a little while for once," Clark said, his face suddenly becoming serious.

"I……I understand." Lois whispered, her heart breaking, everything around her suddenly dark and empty. Turning as quickly as she could, she began to sprint back down the stairs...

**END CHAPTER 5**


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: Okay, I couldn't in good conscience leave you hanging too long- enjoy the update, and keep those reviews coming!

**CHAPTER 6**

Only to have Clark grab her by the arm, pulling her back to him.

"Lois...that's not what I meant..." he said softly.

Lois could barely muster another thought before his lips came crashing down on hers.

Clark soon forgot entirely about their argument, the pain of his injuries, all of it- the world itself seemed to stand still. All he could focus on was how right this felt, how soft her lips were- how happy she made him. After what seemed like an eternity, they separated from one another- if only to catch their breath. Clark looked longingly into her eyes, his face still inches from hers.

"Stay tonight," He pleaded.

"Isn't that my line?" she said, a small grin now spreading across her face.

Neither of them said another word as they slipped back into Clark's bedroom. Lois paused momentarily, suddenly realizing she was still in her clothes from earlier in the day. She looked up, only to find that Clark was holding out one of his old football jerseys.

"Thanks," she said, still unable to wipe the grin off her face.

As Clark turned around to give her some privacy, she slipped it on. "Always the gentlemen", she giggled to herself.

They fell into bed together, both drained from the last few hours. Lois moved over to Clark, returning her attention to the bruises on his face. "What happened to you today, Smallville?" She asked, gently running a hand through his hair.

Clark paused, wanting to tell her everything- his secret, the run-in with Batman, all of it. It was all he could do to fight that urge and force out a kernel of truth.

"I got what I thought might have been a tip on the Joker's robbery." He said. "I ended up in an unfamiliar area and got sucker punched by some thug- the guy ran off before I could do anything though. I think he just wanted my wallet."

"Clark?" Lois asked, draping her arm across his chest.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"If you ever do something like that again without telling me...a mugger will be the least of your problems", she shot back, smirking.

Clark didn't say anything, unable to contain the smile that had been building within. As they fell asleep, he found himself pulling her closer, wondering to himself how he could possibly have gotten this lucky.

* * *

Lois awoke feeling happier than she could ever remember...only to realize Clark was no longer next to her. Slowly pulling heself out of bed, she caught a familiar sound coming from downstairs. She smiled as she sauntered down toward the Kent family kitchen.

"You know Clark, you're REALLY not supposed to fry bacon without a shirt on, but a girl could get used to this", she remarked from the doorway, watching him cook.

Clark blushed immediately. "I'm glad you're awake," he said, flashing the famous Kent smile. "I figured I would just make breakfast for us this time- better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission, right?"

Lois smiled even more broadly as she walked over to him, putting her arms around his waist. "You can cook for me anytime, Clark," She said, her every word dripping with subtext.

"AHEM," a stern voice suddenly said from across the room. "Does someone want to tell me what's going on with you two?"

"Mom!" Clark yelled, instantly panicked. He looked to Lois, who was clearly terrified.

"Uh…Hi Mrs. K! Hungry?" she stammered.

* * *

"So.." Martha said in her best "mom" voice, "Is there anything that either of you two would like to tell me?" She could hardly suppress a grin of her own as she watched Lois and Clark quickly squirm away from one another.

"Mom!" Clark exclaimed once more, snapping to his senses. "What are you doing back so soon?! I thought you'd be in DC until next week!"

"Well, there's another week left before the legislative session ends, but I thought I'd come back a bit early- which you would know if you'd call me more often," she said, her scolding look only offset by her smile. "You know, Lois calls me more often than you do!"

Clark looked over to Lois, shocked at this revelation. "And how often do you call exactly, Lois?" he said.

Lois just gave him a wicked smile in return. "Obviously more than you Clark- besides, someone has to fill Mrs. K in on what you're REALLY up to!"

Martha quickly returned her attention to the matter at hand. "Are the two of you finally an item now?" she said, smiling broadly. Martha Kent might have been a United States Senator, but she was a mother first- and she knew that her son had always seen Lois as someone special...even if he hadn't been able to admit it to himself until now.

"Aaaand that's my cue to hit the showers, Smallville- I'll try and save you a few seconds of hot water!" Lois said, rushing out of the kitchen and starting up the stairs.

"Lois!" Clark yelled, forced to face his mother's questioning alone.

Clark stood exasperated- were he and Lois a "couple"? How could he even try to define what they were after everything that had happened in the last 48 hours?

"It's ok Clark", Martha said, putting her hand on her son's shoulder. 'I've seen the way you look at her."

"And what way would that be?" Clark asked.

"The same way your father looked at me everyday, honey." Martha said, with just a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"Now please do me a favor and go put a shirt on- I've also seen the way Lois looks at you, and I'd rather the two of you express those feelings without me in the room."

"Mom!" Clark yelled once more, shocked at his mother's forwardness.

Martha just shot him a smile back. "Clark, you know how much I adore Lois- tell me something. Are you happy?"

"More happy than I can ever remember being, Mom," he replied truthfully.

"Then that's all I care about," she said, still smiling. "Now go wash up- If my memory serves me correctly Lois will actually follow through on that threat to use up all the hot water."

"And we will talk about how you got those bruises later," she continued, her smile changing to a look of motherly concern.

"Sure Mom- It's good to have you back," Clark said, heading upstairs.

* * *

Bruce stared silently out the large Gothic window, looking at the dawn break over the mansion property line. He had once loved the first light of the morning- his father would wake him once a week so they could walk to the hill at the edge of the Arkham river and see the dawn break. Now the morning was simply a signal for his patrols to end- and to turn over his helpless city to the utter ineptitude of the Gotham police.

_Gordon's the only decent one of those hypocrites_, he thought to himself. It's a shame there weren't more men like Jim Gordon around- if he were more than a lowly sergeant he might be able to do some real good for the city. _At least Gordon does everything within his power though- not like Kent_.

His gaze narrowed thinking about the infamous Blur of Metropolis. For all of Clark Kent's power, he was completely naïve, and far too soft. His first reaction to hearing about the "Red-Blue Blur" was typical. He had gathered every available piece of information on him to ascertain what kind of threat he posed.

An individual with that much power was bound to give in to temptation eventually- and Bruce had seen what absolute power could do to the most resolute of men. That's why he had fashioned the suit- if Clark Kent ever crossed that line, there was probably no one on the planet who could stop him- except for Batman.

"The weight of the world a bit heavy today, Master Bruce?" Alfred said, entering the study.

"No more so than usual, Alfred" Bruce said, still looking out the window.

"You know sir, your father loved the sunrise." Alfred said, placing the carefully prepared meal he had been carrying down on the table.

"I know Alfred." Bruce said, remaining expressionless. "I remember when I used to."

* * *

Lois carefully tiptoed down the staircase, trying to calculate how much trouble she might be in. _Maybe there's a chance I can get out of here before the awkward dial gets turned up to eleven_, she thought to herself. A friendly voice from the dining table instantly shattered this brief fantasy, however.

"Hi Lois", said Martha, giving her a knowing grin. "You're still staying for breakfast I hope?"

"Of course, Mrs. Kent", Lois said, trying awkwardly to return her smile.

"Lois, sweetheart, I've told you a hundred times- you can call me Martha," Martha said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh- right…sorry…..Martha" Lois said, looking down sheepishly. "Um, about before..."

"Lois," Martha said, switching to her motherly tone. "You know I think the world of you…and if Jonathan were still with us he'd say the same thing. I can think of no one I would rather see with Clark."

Lois was overcome with emotion. She'd never actually say it to anyone out loud, but the time she had spent with the Kent family was one of the happiest times of her life. She had never had what amounted to a real family experience up until then- the general had always tried his best, but losing her mother at such an early age had a profound affect on both of them.

Fighting the urge to cry, Lois pulled Martha into a hug. "You don't know how much it means to me to hear that from you," she gulped. She cared deeply for Martha- she was the closest thing Lois had to a mother in this world....which is why she would call her every so often to check in. It was almost always under the guise of trying to get an inside track on something that was happening in Washington, or about Clark, but truthfully she just needed advice most of the time- the kind of advice you could only get from a mother.

"It's just the truth, sweetheart," Martha said softly. "I mean every word of it."

"Am I interrupting something?" Clark asked, descending the staircase.

"Oh, nothing- just some girl talk," Martha said mischievously.

"Yeah Smallville- your mom was just busy filling me in on all of your secrets," Lois said, sitting down at the table to grab some pancakes.

Clark shot his mother a panicked look- only to be met with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head.

"We better start eating quickly Mom," Clark said, taking a seat next to Lois. "If history repeats itself there isn't going to be anything left in five minutes!"

"Hey!" Lois yelled, punching him lightly in the arm.

Martha just smiled at both of them, thinking about how wonderful it was to see them both so happy.

**END CHAPTER 6**


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

"You're sure you don't want to stay the rest of the afternoon?" Clark said, opening the screen door for Lois.

"I'm sure, Clark," she replied, half-lying. "I don't have any clothes here, and besides- a girl has to take some time to herself to decompress." Lois tried to force a smile, mentally repeating to herself that going back to her place was the smart thing to do…especially with Mrs. K in the house.

Clark gave her a wide smile back, almost causing her drag him back upstairs right then and there. "I understand Lois….this has been a lot for both of us to get our heads around."

Lois nodded. "It has been a crazy weekend…hasn't it?"

"Crazy…and wonderful," Clark said, still smiling. He hated to see Lois leave, but he could certainly use some time to himself as well. He still had to talk to Chloe to see if she'd found out anything more about this "Batman" character, and it would be nice to spend some time catching up with his mom.

Clark stepped to the side, opening the car door for her as he handed her a travel mug. "Mom said that if I sent you off without more coffee I'd just be asking for trouble later."

Lois grabbed the container happily. "What can I say? The woman knows me!" she smirked.

Lois and Clark both paused- their usual goodbye suddenly had an entirely unexpected level of tension.

"I….uh…..I'll call you tonight," Lois finally managed.

"Already looking forward to it…" Clark said quietly.

Lois lightly bit her bottom lip- part of her wanted to start driving and not stop until the world made sense again…but a bigger part of her couldn't seem to deny her feelings, keeping her normal flight reflex at bay.

"Clark?" she asked softly.

"Yeah?" he replied, moving closer to her.

"I don't know if either of us know what this is yet…but I know it's special. I….I just don't want to mess this up with us. I want to try and take this slowly….you know what I mean?"

Lois looked up into his eyes, praying silently that he didn't take what she had said the wrong way. She was instantly relieved when Clark flashed another wide grin.

"I know exactly what you mean this time", he said confidently. "I was thinking the same thing."

Putting the mug down on the roof of the car, Lois wrapped her arms around Clark, still looking up at him. "What's a girl gotta do to get a goodbye kiss around here anyway?" she said.

Clark was more than happy to oblige.

* * *

"Wait- so whoever this "Batman" is, he knows about your secret, and he knows about Kryptonite?!" Martha said, her grave concern easily apparent in her voice.

"I know Mom- I'm worried about it too. I talked to Chloe- she's looking into a few things for me. It seems like if he wanted to expose me he would have done it already though, and from what I've been able to read about him it seems like he's only focused on stopping criminals in Gotham."

"I have a few friends on the national security committee Clark…" Martha said, her voice still extremely serious. "Do you want me to see if they know anything about him?"

"It's ok Mom," Clark offered. "This is something that I need to deal with personally."

"Clark Joseph Kent!" Martha yelled, her concern having changed to motherly scolding. "You will not run out there and risk getting hurt again! Who knows what could happen to you next time!"

"Mom," Clark said, equally annoyed. "I'm not a little boy anymore- I can take care of myself. In fact, I spend almost every day taking care of an entire city!"

Martha immediately backed down at the steadiness and conviction behind his words. She was so proud of Clark- she had worried that when she left for Washington he would be stuck on the farm forever out of some ill-conceived allegiance to their family history. When he had told her about taking the job at the planet, and about becoming the blur she felt overjoyed at the path he had chosen for himself.

"I know Clark…" she said quietly. "I'm so proud of you- It's been wonderful watching you grow up to become the man your father and I always hoped you would become. A mother's still allowed to worry about her son, isn't she?"

"Of course mom," Clark said. "But I've only become the man that my mother and father raised me to be. Without you and dad there who knows how I could've turned out."

Martha pulled her son in for a hug- he reminded her more and more of his father each time she saw him.

* * *

Clark breezed down the steps leading to the planet bullpen, carefully balancing a large cup of coffee and a bear claw. Despite Dr. Hamilton's concerns, he had stepped out as the Blur for a few hours in the early evening, which had done him a world of good- his injuries were almost completely healed as well.

Practically skipping through the entrance, he was disappointed to see that Lois wasn't at her desk. He had called her as the Blur the night before- he just wanted to hear the sound of her voice, and was too impatient to wait for her promised call. Setting his items down, he logged on to his computer to begin gathering more data on the Batman of Gotham City.

"Mmmm- thanks Smallville!" A familiar voice said. Clark looked up to see Lois sitting on the edge of his desk, happily eating the bear claw and holding the cup of coffee.

"You know, Lois", Clark scolded, "Those were actually for you this time- I've learned to make sure to eat my donut before bringing it anywhere near the "Lane Bermuda triangle of food."

Lois glared at him. "Did you hear that from Phil?" she said, her eyes narrowing. "I'm going to kill him if I hear another person repeat that wisecrack!"

Clark leaned back, laughing. "Well, maybe if everyone's donuts, sandwiches and cups of coffee wouldn't magically disappear any time they came near your desk, it wouldn't be an issue."

"Hilarious, Mr. Kent- just hilarious. Don't quit your day job," Lois said, moving back to her own desk.

Clark rose and circled over to her chair. "How did you sleep last night?" he whispered. "Any more nightmares?"

"No." Lois said truthfully. "Although I did kinda miss having my personal chef around this morning", she added, smiling. Clark was about to reply when a loud voice rang out from across the basement.

"Lane! Kent! My office!" Their editor yelled, startling them both. Exchanging a worried look, Lois and Clark hurried into Jerry's office without exchanging another word.

"Congratulations kids- It's time for your first big field assignment as a team!" Jerry said, handing them each an outline.

"Gotham City?" Clark asked, his voice a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

"That's right" Jerry said. "There's going to be a huge U.N. gala there this week that coincides with the end of the Falcone trial, and the planet wants both stories covered- I expect copies on my desk first thing next week."

"Thanks Jerry!" Lois exclaimed, barely containing her excitement. "It'll be great to see that scum finally put where he belongs."

"Save it for the op-ed section Lane." Jerry said, his attention already focused on something else. "And since you seem to be so friendly with the masked vigilante types, maybe you could work something up on that Batman guy too."

Lois was too busy beaming to notice the horror slowly spreading across Clark's face.

"You won't regret this Jerry- c'mon Smallville! What are you waiting for? We're going to Gotham- I have to go pack!" She yelled, rushing back to her desk.

"Kent." Jerry said, looking up as Clark as he was about to leave.

"Yeah Jerry?" Clark asked, trying to keep his composure.

"Try to keep Lane from getting herself into too much trouble- same goes for you. I heard about your little incident on Friday night. You're both good reporters- make sure you stay that way for a long time to come."

Clark could only nod- Jerry had no idea how true his words were.

**END CHAPTER 7**


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

"Smallville, you pack like a civilian!" Lois yelled, surveying Clark's array of baggage. "I don't think there's enough room for all that flannel!"

"Very funny, Lois," Clark managed. It was hard enough trying to pack for a week without worrying about bringing his Blur gear along for the ride, and any extra scrutiny from Lois certainly wasn't helping matters. "How is it you only managed to bring one suitcase anyway?" he asked, loading the last bag into the trunk.

"I figure I can just steal some of your shirts to sleep in," she said with a wink. "Besides- they look better on me anyway."

Clark sighed, making a mental note to hide his Blur gear as soon as he got to his hotel room.

"Where are we staying, anyway?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I got Dennis in purchasing to do me a favor and get us rooms at the Marmont, over in the art district. It's close to the Wayne center and the courthouse," Lois said, jumping behind the wheel. "And it's just a ferry across the river to the shipyard- Batman's been spotted there a lot lately!"

Clark did his absolute best to keep calm, steeling himself at the idea of Lois having a run-in with the Batman. "Lois, you should really be careful you know. Gotham city is really dangerous at night, and Batman doesn't seem any better than the criminals he captures."

"Excuse me?!" Lois said, instantly glaring at Clark. "For one, I can take care of myself- and Batman has captured tons of dangerous criminals! How can you possibly be against that?!"

"It's not that, Lois" Clark said, his tone shifting to annoyance. "I've read about some of the criminals he captures- just last week they had to take a Falcone lieutenant to the hospital with a collapsed lung and broken leg! At least the Blur seems to be able to stop crime around here without hurting anyone like that."

"Careful Smallville." Lois said, smirking. "I might have to tell the Blur about your little man-crush on him the next time he calls…"

Clark rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the joy she took at getting under his skin. "There's only one person I'm interested in right now, Lois- and she's sitting right next to me."

"Where is this invisible mystery woman? I'd love to meet her!" Lois said, her smirk growing wider.

"Very funny Lois," Clark said again, sarcastically. "But if you keep this up the whole way to Gotham I might just have to lock those shirts of mine up in my room when we get there," he said, giving her a smirk of his own.  
"Oh really?" Lois said in her best come-hither tone. "I bet you WOULD like to see me deprived of sleeping attire…"

Clark gulped and blushed simultaneously, no longer able to keep up with the exchange. Lois smiled in turn, smitten with his level of embarrassment.

"And since when has a locked door ever stopped Lois Lane?" she added, content with her victory.

* * *

"Yes Selina- Alfred will be over at 7:40. I apologize for not being able to meet you as well, but I have some things to attend to at the gala beforehand. I will be sure to be there to walk you down the red carpet though," Bruce said, looking up at his array of monitors.

"Oh Bruce," Selina said coyly, "I will consider myself lucky if you can manage to make it through a few dances without having to run off for some shareholder crisis."

Bruce sighed lightly, still staring ahead. "You seem to forget you've disappeared on me once or twice as well."

Selina could only laugh, well aware of the hit-or-miss nature of most of their encounters. "Touché, Bruce- I'll see you at the gala, Bruce," she said, hanging up.

Bruce looked down, allowing himself a moment of wistful introspection. Selina was radiant, beautiful, and despite her penchant for playing a modern day robin-hood, was good for Gotham. Under different circumstances he might have been able to share everything with her- to forge some kind of life other than his never-ending quest to ensure that his city was safe from those who would prey on the innocent.

_The innocent…_he thought, his mind instantly going back to his mother and father. Bruce could still feel the chill of the night air, taste the salt of his tears…and see the gruesome look on the mugger's face as his parents were gunned down… all while he stood still, nothing but a helpless child.

This was precisely why he couldn't afford to waver. The money, the front page pictures on the gossip section, the board meetings- it was all a mask. The only true face he had was the one he put on each night- the one that made sure no one ever suffered as he had that fateful night at the theater.

_I've become the man who I am because my mother and father were taken from me_, Bruce thought to himself. He could only wonder how things might have turned out if his mother and father were still with him.

* * *

"I'm sorry, there must be some mistake," Clark said, tapping his fingers nervously on the desk. "There should have been two room reservations, one for Ms. Lane and one for myself."

"I am terribly sorry sir", the hotel clerk replied. "I only have one reservation- for Ms. Lane. All of our other rooms are booked for this week's gala."

"You have to have SOMETHING," Lois said, unable to decide if this was the best or worst thing that could have happened to them. _So much for taking it slowly_, she thought to herself, exhaling audibly. _Who knows what will happen if you're left alone with Clark in a fancy hotel room night after night..._

"I'm sorry Miss- we are completely booked, as is every hotel within a three mile radius. Perhaps you should consider making your reservations more carefully next time."

"Fine- what's the charge for a rollaway?" she asked, silently noting the sudden look of disappointment on Clark's face.

* * *

Clark stood silently in the elevator, watching as each number increased on the way up to their room. "You know Lois, I can figure something out," Clark said, looking as if someone had stolen his lunch money. "I could see if my mom might be able to call in a favor and….why are you smiling at me like that?" he said, noticing her huge grin.

"Now Mr. Kent, what would make you think I would be upset about the two of us sharing a room together?" she asked.

"But Lois...the rollaway?" Clark said, totally confused.

"C'mon Clark- we have to be able to put something like that on the receipt- otherwise who knows what people might think!" she retorted with a wink.

She was silently elated when Clark's frown suddenly became a huge grin. "I don't care who in the office knows," Clark said. "I'd tell the whole world if I could."

"Easy there tiger- slow and steady, remember?" Lois said, wondering how the distance between them had suddenly become so short. She unconsciously took a step away from him, praying that she would be able to make it to the room…without jumping him right then and there.

"You're right…slow and steady", Clark said, desperately trying to focus somewhere other than on the beautiful woman next to him.

They were both relieved when the elevator stopped, it's doors opening to the 15th floor hallway.

* * *

Clark leaned back onto the bed, a million thoughts racing through his mind- Batman, the Joker, being here in Gotham…..and most importantly, Lois.

He'd been relieved when she said she needed to take a shower- and then confused when she seemed upset after he told her he would take one next. Had she wanted him to….join her? _I thought she wanted to take things slowly?_ Clark thought to himself. If only his powers somehow included the ability to read minds…

_Lois Lane... a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma_. Clark smiled as he remembered the Lois he had first met. She was infuriating….and wonderful at the same time.

She was the girl who'd get him in trouble with his parents….always take the last muffin….and knew exactly where and how to push every button he had. She was also the girl whose smile could light up the whole county….the girl who constantly challenged him to be more than just a farmer from Smallville…the girl who, despite his best efforts…had captured his heart.

Clark sighed heavily. He thought of how devastated Lois had been after finding out the Oliver was Green Arrow. He could still see the tears rolling down her check as she told him that she could never compete with Oliver's double life…knowing he couldn't live with himself if he somehow hurt her like that.

_Everyone who knows your secret has to suffer for it_, Clark thought. Lana…his parents...Chloe…Jimmy. Wherever Clark went, trouble seemed to follow. He had committed himself to protecting others- using his abilities to help those who couldn't help themselves. Why could he save so many and somehow manage to let down those he cared about most?

_This isn't fair to her Clark_, he thought, chiding himself. _You know how hard it was for her after Oliver- you can't do that to her again. You love her- you need to tell her everything…but how can you if it means risking losing her?_

Clark's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the shower shutting off and the bathroom door opening.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Lois said, emerging from her shower. "You look like you were just visited by the ghost of Christmas future."

Clark looked up, only to find himself speechless. Lois was standing in front of him in nothing but a towel, gently drying her hair.

"I…..uh….." he stammered, eyes fixed on her.

Lois gave him a wide smile. "You know what Clark? That's the nicest compliment you've given me all day."

"I obviously haven't been trying hard enough then," Clark said, rising from the mattress. He moved closer to her, taking note of the fact that her heart rate was steadily increasing.

"Well, I can think of a few things you can do to make it up to me…" Lois said, beginning to unbutton his dress shirt.

"Lois…" Clark whispered, "Are you sure we should be doing this right now?"

Lois continued unabated. "I said we should move slowly Clark- not come to a complete stop."

Clark needed no further invitation. Kissing her with such force that he thought he would lose himself entirely, they collapsed onto the bed. He could briefly recall his shirt hitting the floor at some point, along with his undershirt, belt, and pants, but none of that seemed as important as maintaining his embrace with the woman he loved.

Lois gasped, running her nails down Clark's back. It was as though the vision she had been having of the two of them together had suddenly come to life. She kissed him again, moaning softly as his strong hands began to work their way under the towel, moving up her back.

"I want you," was all Clark could manage to get out. Gently beginning to pull the towel away from her, he…was suddenly stopped by a loud knock at the door.

"Hello? Room service!" a shrill voice yelled. "I have a rollaway here for Lois Lane!"

Silently cursing his suddenly terrible luck, Clark rushed to compose himself- and to find his pants and shirt.

Lois, out of breath and struggling to fix her towel, stomped to the door. "I'm Lois Lane", she said, giving the bellman a look that could pierce titanium. "You can drop that thing right here."

The bellman nervously complied, only to enter the room and see a red-faced Clark trying to get his dress shirt back on.

Setting the rollaway where Lois had pointed, he turned to leave, only to have Clark clear his throat and hold out a tip. Lois stood in amazement- only Clark could manage to remain so polite in such an obviously awkward situation.

The bellman took the tip and smiled politely. Turning to leave, he said "Thanks for the tip Mr., but I think it's pretty obvious you two don't need that rollaway. Oh- and we do have do not disturb hangers you know- maybe put one on the door next time?"

Lois and Clark could do nothing but look at one another wide-eyed as he closed the door and disappeared down the hallway.

* * *

Bruce quickly glanced over the array of information in front of him. He had learned to speed read long ago, but processing this much key data still demanded all of his concentration. Reaching the middle of a particular document gave him pause, however:

**2 press credentials for the gala, issued to Lois Lane and Clark Kent of the Daily Planet**

_Wonderful- now I have Kent in town to deal with_, he thought to himself.

It was bad enough that the Joker's targets appeared to be completely random and followed absolutely no methodology he had seen before, but the added distraction of having the "Blur" here would only complicate matters.

"Alfred", Bruce said over the intercom, "I'll need you in the cave. It appears as though I am going to have to proceed with those additional modifications more quickly than anticipated."

* * *

"Well…that was…" Lois started, looking up at Clark.

"Something," Clark finished, moving toward her.

"My thoughts exactly Smallville," she said, starting to play with the buttons on his shirt again. "Maybe we could start over where we left off…."

"Lois…" Clark said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I have a better idea."

"Oh really? Want to clue me in?" Lois said in mock amazement.

"I was thinking I could take you out to dinner…someplace nice… if you would do me the honor, of course," Clark said, trying to avoid the thought of how good it felt to have her hands on him once more.

"Why Mr. Kent- who knew you had it in you?" Lois said, smiling up at him.

Clark's voice softened. "I'd really like to, Lois- I know when it comes to us there's been a lot of… well, mistakes on my part, and I want to make sure and do the right thing here." Clark paused for a moment, adding: "But if you want to revisit our "conversation" from earlier…..just say the word."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but dinner would be perfect," Lois replied sweetly.

"I'll jump in the shower then," Clark said, beaming. "Be out in just a few minutes."

"Oh- Clark?" Lois said as he was about to leave the room.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"Keep this up and we will be revisiting more than just our "conversation", she said, giving him a look that would make even Casanova blush.

Clark quickly fled into the bathroom, his mind racing once more. This time, he was going to make sure he got things with Lois right- and that included figuring out how to tell her his secret. She deserved nothing less, regardless of the potential consequences.

**END CHAPTER 8**


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